


and my heart stops every time

by pyrality



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: First Kiss, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pre-Canon, Slow Burn, Vacation, gay vacation fic and they're both dumb
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-26
Updated: 2016-09-26
Packaged: 2018-08-17 08:44:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8137672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pyrality/pseuds/pyrality
Summary: Jack's voice is quiet when he finally says, “You want me to go to Miami with you."
  "That's what 'if you want to come with me' means, yeah."
The one where Jack isn't a real blond, loves orange soda, kisses like a clumsy teenager, and falls in love, all in two weeks.





	

**Author's Note:**

> to the tune and feel of hellogoodbye’s two weeks in hawaii but set in miami and orlando
> 
> crossposted on [tumblr](https://pyrality.tumblr.com/post/150938642321/and-my-heart-stops-every-time)!

His mother calls him, and he can hear her chopping something as she's talking to him on speaker. The sounds of his home are familiar as always— his sisters singing to Enrique Iglesias (a disgrace according to his mom), a novela barely audible in the background, and the sound of something cooking nearby.

"We got you tickets to Miami for free," she says, conversationally, "Your father and I racked up enough mileage and I thought it'd be a good present for your military leave. Two weeks there, and then you can swing home for the last week before going back."

Gabe pinches his other ear closed so he can hear her better. The boys are playing basketball in the hallway just like they're not supposed to, and they are not quiet about it. "Why don't you and dad go somewhere instead?"

She laughs into the phone, "Hijo, it's not like you don't know us at all. We've already been on vacation; as you know, I like a different place every year for our anniversary." He can hear her smug grin when she says innocently, "Gotta make memories, no?"

He groans. His mother never stops reminding him that their sex life is still very alive and healthy.

And that's how he ends up with two tickets to Miami.

 

~*~

 

"Take that whitebread with you," his mother had suggested, tone sly. He had opened his mouth to retort and ask why Jack was the first thing on her mind, but she shut him up with an easy, "You talk about him too much, Gabi," before hanging up the phone.

"Ever been to Miami," Gabe attempts to ask, but it comes out flat.

"Being conversational was always your strong suit," Jack answers, typical smartass. The blond man peers over his coffee mug at Gabe. "You got plans to dance with some alligators in America's coastal hellhole?"

"That sounds like a white person phenomenon," Gabe replies smoothly, and Jack arches an eyebrow at him as he sets his mug down. "Where you heading for leave?"

The blond man drums his fingers against the table, thoughtful, scratching his free hand through his hair. "Haven't thought about it. Not a fan of going home," he says, wrinkling his nose and frowning.

Gabe quickly speaks up, recognizing the way Jack’s shoulders slump and how his brow is furrowing, "Do they still think you're vegan."

Jack clears his throat, "I _am_ vegan."

"You're really not," he says, amused. He's seen the blond man devour an entire meat lover's pizza before.

Jack squints up at Gabe, leaning his cheek against the palm of his hand. "What even brought Miami on?"

Gabe meets his gaze before he looks away, slides his hands in the pockets of his baggy sweats. "Just wondering if you want to come with me," he says finally, managing to sound casual. He shrugs, "I got free tickets."

There's a long pause and Gabe can feel Jack's wide-eyed look on him. He turns back to meet his gaze evenly. His bright blue eyes are a little warm and they're crinkled at the corners. Gabe wiggles, tries to keep his posture lax. His hands are clammy in his pockets, but he closes one hand around his phone anyway. He had been looking at the tickets' email confirmation earlier; their plane seats are next to each other too, and Gabe wonders if it was a mistake to ask after all.

Jack's voice is quiet when he finally says, “You want me to go to Miami with you."

"That's what 'if you want to come with me' means, yeah."

"Smartass," Jack complains, and his shoulders loosen up, posture relaxing. His voice seems a bit more playful when he raises an eyebrow and deadpans, "I just called the place a coastal hellhole."

“The beaches are nice,” Gabe tries. At least, that’s what he’s heard.

Jack looks pointedly down at his own arms, “Have you seen my paper white skin?"

“Oh, shut the fuck up,” Gabe rolls his eyes. “There’ll be pretty girls and nice guys on the beaches too."

Jack huffs, leans back into his chair with a thump, throwing his arms behind his head, “They always go for you anyway."

That gets a grin spreading across Gabe's face. Jack shoots him a half-hearted glare before looking down into his coffee mug.

"There's worse places than Miami, I guess," he says quietly after a while. He looks up, smiling a little, and it's hesitant but warm.

"I could've asked Romeo," Gabe says before he bites his tongue. Stupid.

Jack immediately makes a face, frowning. "I thought you said you didn't like him anymore."

"I don't," Gabe says quickly, "He didn't really live up to his namesake."

The blond man squints at him, and there's a hint of a smug smile curling his lips, "So you want me to go with you instead."

(Gabe regrets the past thirty seconds of his life, honestly.)

He makes a show of rolling his eyes. "I'm only into cute guys," he says, folding his arms across his chest, "so don't get any ideas about this."

Jack looks— Gabe can't tell if he looks affronted or disappointed. Possibly both. He doesn't say anything as he gets up and rinses his coffee mug under the faucet.

"Good thing I'm cute," he says while his back is still turned to Gabe. "Let's give Miami a try."

Gabe feels his shoulders relax, posture slackening. He drops his arms from his chest and tucks his hands back into his pockets, feeling himself smile a little.

"Then it's a deal."

Jack turns around with his newly rinsed mug, and Gabe swallows, wonder if it's presumptuous to say the blond man looks happy, maybe. Jack paces towards the door behind him.

"Let's talk about it more later," he suggests as he passes him, voice soft. "I'm gonna go shower."

"I was wondering why you didn't smell like two liters of AXE."

He turns around in time to see Jack gives him the middle finger over his shoulder without looking back.

 

~*~

 

The tickets are business class. Aside from feeling a little misplaced with how many people there are surrounding them with business suits, Gabe is just relieved it's not economy class. The seats are roomier, and Gabe doesn't have to worry about Jack tripping over his knees if he wants to get to the aisle.

Jack's seated quietly beside him, looking out at the airway. His leg is bouncing up and down beside Gabe's, and he's not sure if it's excitement or nervousness.

"Regretting it?" he asks before he can stop himself.

Jack snorts, gaze still out the window. "No. Why would I turn down a vacation with my best friend?"

Gabe's hand tightens on the armrest. "That's gay."

" _You're_ gay," Jack says, a practiced response. He turns from the window to look at Gabe with a grin. "I'm pretty excited. I've been on the East coast a few times, but mostly just New York, Maine, and DC."

New York was for university before he dropped out and Maine and DC were for missions. Gabe looks away.

"You two boys from the military?" a business man across from Gabe suddenly asks, voice curious.

"Yes, sir," Jack answers for him, leaning over the armrest closer to Gabe. His fingers brush against Gabe's wrist, but he doesn't pull his hand away, like he doesn't mind. "We're here to keep the world a safe place." He says it with an easy smile and a two-fingered salute.

The business man laughs, hearty, "I don't doubt it!" He pats his chest. "You boys are on leave?"

"Yes, sir," Jack answers again.

"Seems good," the man comments, pleased as he leans back into his chair. "Heard they're giving soldiers leaves more often. It's a good mental break, and what a way to spend it but with your significant other."

"We're not," Gabe manages, clearing his throat, "We're not together."

The man blinks before covering his mouth, embarrassed. "I'm sorry," he fumbles, laughing sheepishly, "You two seemed so close. My apologies for being presumptuous."

The conversation ends with the awkward silence, quickly and relievingly filled by a voice informing them that the airplane will take off soon. Jack turns back to look at the runway, and Gabe wonders what he's thinking.

"I've never been to Disney World," he says suddenly, quietly. His hand tightens on the armrest.

"That's not in Miami," Gabe says, and his voice is soft. Jack's family was cagey and he never had much opportunity to go anywhere. "It's in Orlando."

"I know. Would've liked to go."

Gabe clears his throat. "We can, you know. Drive there from Miami."

Jack whirls around to look at him, wide-eyed and incredulous. "Isn't it five hours away by car?"

"Three," Gabe corrects, looking away, "Not awful."

"I'm twenty-seven," the blond says after a second, "I'm too old for it anyway. This is stupid."

"It's not stupid. You've never been— so we're gonna go."

Jack looks a little happy beneath his furrowed brow, "You're honestly ridiculous."

"And you're not a real blond," Gabe says, rolling his eyes, "We're still going to Disney World."

Gabe tries not to smile, but Jack's grin is contagious, so he hides it behind his hand as the plane takes off.

 

~*~

 

Jack huffs. He rubs at his face, making the already ruddy hue of his cheeks worse, "You've only been hearing about my embarrassing stories."

Gabe grins, "Well, it'll have to wait."

The plane announces its landing, and Jack blinks, surprised. He turns to the window, still wide-eyed. Gabe looks at his profile as Jack starts grinning at the window, leg jiggling in his seat from excitement.

" _Welcome to Miami_."

 

~*~

 

They're _partners_. Gabe knows this, knows this because he knows Jack's breathing patterns just as Jack knows his. They've been trained to be attuned to each other— to know the other's warning signs for stress, fatigue, and pain in the field. They've been through missions and operations together, and Gabe trusts Jack with his life.

But it still surprises him that this trust appears to be so visible even to other people.

"One bed bedroom?" a middle-aged hotel clerk asks.

"Presumptuous," Jack says, quirking an eyebrow at her.

She smiles, laughter lines crinkling on her cheeks, "You're partners, aren't you?" she says, smooth as silk. She taps her neatly manicured, fingers across the keyboard, not even bothering to look at them. "Got that smell about you," she drawls, " _military boys_."

"Ma'am," they both say in unison.

"At ease, soldiers," she replies, amused gaze flickering over to them. "I've been out for a few years. Working odd-end jobs so my partner and I can tie the knot." She smiles to herself, expression turning fond, "One shot, one kill. She's the best there was."

"Jack still has to work on that," Gabe says, and the blond turns to him, affronted, "He gets it in two though."

"Hmm," the clerk hums, reaching beneath the table for the room keys before handing them to Gabe. There's a twinkle in her eyes as he takes them from her. "Bit cozier than a foxhole or a stone bed out in the field. Enjoy your stay."

 

~*~

 

"And you said you wouldn't like Miami."

"I never said that _specifically_."

Their room is... it's stunningly nice. The windows are floor to ceiling, offering an amazing view over the city. The single queen-sized bed looms in the middle of the room. Gabe tosses his bag down by the door, wonders if things will be weird. Jack didn't protest the single room— they're used to sharing a bed from missions, have slept curled up in each other for warmth in the field before.

"Wow."

Jack paces over to the window. Gabe doesn't even need to see his face to know he's starry-eyed. He scratches at his nose, smiling. He walks over to stand by Jack's side, whistling when he sees the view. It really is beautiful. They can see out to the beaches and gently lapping ocean waves from here.

(When he looks over at Jack though, that's what really takes his breath away.)

 

~*~

 

They're both exhausted from the flight, but Jack goes back downstairs to pick up flyers and tourist advertisements. Gabe orders food for them both, meanwhile, flopping back onto the bed after he hangs up. He rubs at his eyes a little, feeling drowsy. It's only barely past noon though, and he figures Jack will at least want to walk around the city and not waste their first day here. Gabe sits up, hand running across the sheets of the bed.

He decides not to dwell on the swirl of anxious thoughts in his head and paces over to the bathroom to shower.

Gabe comes out half an hour later just as Jack returns. The blond has the door halfway open as room service rolls up behind him, announcing the arrival of their food.

"Good timing," Gabe comments.

His hair is still wet, curled, and he only has a towel around his waist. He had forgotten to grab clothes before hopping into the shower. He’s halfway across the room for his duffle bag when he realizes that both Jack and the room service clerk stare at him as he towels his hair. Gabe feels his lips curl in a self-satisfied smile.

“What?” he drawls, voice lazy and smug.

Jack's gaze lingers, sweeping over his bare chest before he breathes in and looks away. "Yeah, I'll take the food." He turns around and grabs the tray from the clerk before closing the door.

"Let me help you with that," Gabe paces over, "Still holding a bunch of damn flyers and I don't want you to drop that food, I'm hungry."

He hands him the tray and Gabe can feel Jack's gaze on him again as he turns his back to him.

 

~*~

 

They eat late lunch and recoup watching TV in their hotel room. Well. Gabe’s the one flicking through channels for something interesting to watch before settling on old Ghost Adventures reruns. Jack’s poring over all the flyers he picked up and typing down places he wants to go see on his phone. By all rights, Gabe should be calling the blond man an easily excitable nerd, but he only feels pleased and fond as he watches Jack. Gabe supposes it’s good for him. Jack never had opportunity to travel as a kid, and all the other places they’ve been to have been for missions with no time to relax.

(He’s glad he brought him along.)

By the time evening rolls around, Jack’s compiled a master list of tourist sites he wants to go see. They talk about their schedule for the next two weeks, including time for Orlando and Disney World. For the night though, they’re out of time to do anything other than explore the nightlife, so that’s what exactly what they do. Gabe’s dressed in a hoodie and jeans, and he snorts when Jack comes out of the bathroom in a plaid long-sleeve and skinny jeans.

“What?” Jack asks indignantly.

“Nothing,” Gabe answers, and decides not to voice out loud that Jack looks like a picturesque twink right now.

The nightlife as lively as Gabe thought it’d be, full of bright lights and cheer as they pass bars and clubs on every street. The queer scene here is huge, and Gabe hums to himself as he passes yet another gay dance club. He’ll have to try coming back here alone. His elbow brushes against Jack’s as they squeeze along the edge of the road to make room for a drunk couple stumbling down the street laughing and hooting. Jack looks up at him for a split second before he looks away.

“What?” Gabe demands.

“Nothing,” Jack answers, defensive, brow furrowing.

They finally slip into a small, but loud restaurant and dance club on the street corner rounding back to their hotel. The strobe lights are blinding inside the club and the music is louder than Gabe’s own thoughts. It’s good, Gabe decides, he’s missed dance club nightlife.

(There’s no way in hell he’s letting Jack see him dance though.)

He grabs Jack’s arm so he doesn’t lose him as they slip through the crowd to the lounge area. “No alcohol,” he says, and he has to shout to be heard over the music, even though Jack is pressed close to him. “Let’s not get smashed on the first day."

Jack rolls his eyes, “You say that like you drink,” he retorts, “You hate alcohol."

“That is true."

The blond grunts as he gets jostled forward, tumbling into Gabe by the dancing crowd behind them. “Besides, what’s the point of drinking, I wanna remember Miami."

“Forgot you’re a lightweight.” Gabe presses his hands to Jack’s shoulder, easing off him, careful. He knows this vacation means a lot to Jack, having not been able to get out much when he was young, but he doesn’t manage to bite his tongue before he says, “Thought you called this place a hellhole."

“It’s not terrible,” Jack admits.

They end up making eye contact, and it’s awkward as they stare at each other, unsure of what to say. Gabe’s hands feel clammy on Jack’s shoulders suddenly, and it’s not because of the heat in the club. The blond pulls away.

“Gonna buy soda,” he says before he slips off back towards the bar. “And mingle. I’ll catch you in a little bit."

Gabe gets approached by at least five different guys as he makes his way around the dance floor. When he says, ‘I’m here with someone’, the guys give him a knowing look. Queer folk always understand each other too well, Gabe thinks, and can’t help but smile. It’s a nice feeling.

“He’s dumb, isn’t he?” an Asian man asks, quirking an eyebrow at him, “Got that look about you."

“They do say you can’t cure stupidity,” Gabe responds, and the man laughs.

He loses himself in the music for a bit, around half an hour before he circles back out to the lounge. Jack is sitting in the back with a woman. He looks ridiculously out of place, Gabe thinks, clutching a bottle of soda in his lap while the woman circles her long fingernails along the rim of her drink. They seem deep in conversation, the woman, dark-skinned with bleached blond hair nodding attentively as Jack talks. She finally notices as Gabe gets closer, clucking her tongue as she looks over Gabe, and then winks, waving her fingers at him.

“Hey there, big guy,” she says, smiling at him, "Shame on you to leave Jack all by his lonesome."

Jack rolls his eyes, “He’s not exactly the best company."

“Oh, I think he looks like _great_ company,” she drawls, voice teasing.

Gabe snorts and the woman grins. She sets her drink down and dusts off her knees before standing up and gathering her things.

“I’d best get back to my girls. You two have a nice, safe night too, alright?”

She departs, leaving Gabe still standing and Jack still in the seat with soda in his hands. The blond man watches her go, looking oddly fond. Gabe grins, sitting down next to him, resting his arms on the top of the couch seats.

“What? Fell in love already?”

Jack rolls his eyes at him. “Better company than you.”

Gabe hums, doesn’t answer as he sinks into the seat, relaxing. The music shifts from thudding bass and rapid beats to a more mellow song with soothing lyrics. Jack rubs at his eyes next to him, and yawns.

“You alright?” Gabe glances at his watch. It is late, close to one AM, and he’s pretty tired himself.

“Jetlagged,” Jack answers, groaning as he runs a hand through his hair. “We should head back. We’ll be dead tomorrow if we stay up.”

“You already look dead,” Gabe points out, and smirks when Jack punches his arm.

 

~*~

 

Jack stumbles into the room after tripping on the doorway. He laughs a little, tired, before he palms the wall to hit the light switch.

Gabe groans and flicks the lights back off. "Don't need that, dumbass, we're about to sleep."

Jack makes a noncommittal noise as he makes his way to the bathroom. Gabe rustles through his bags for his toothbrush and other personal care items before following Jack. They brush their teeth together and it's not something new— they've done this before on missions, a morning routine together. Somehow, it feels a little weird in this moment, and when Jack meets his gaze in the mirror, Gabe looks away.

Jack leaves the bathroom first, feet dragging against the carpet as he walks. He must be exhausted. Gabe snorts to himself when he hears Jack grunt as the blond flings himself onto the mattress. When he's finished up in the bathroom, he finds that Jack has absolutely, utterly passed out as soon as he hit the bed. Now Gabe's left to deal with Jack's white bread ass spread eagled over their full size mattress.

"Hey, shove over," he says, but it's quiet and comes out fonder than he anticipates.

Jack startles awake when Gabe shakes him, mumbling blearily at him before rolling over.

"Cute boxers."

"Shut up," the blond grumbles.

Jack's wearing dull navy blue boxers, and it never ceases to make Gabe laugh. He always said Jack never had any sense of adventure with his underclothing.

"You're wearing basketball boxers," Jack points out, burying his face into the pillow. "Like you can talk."

"Sorry, you're right, I should've brought my lace panties, that would've been more exciting."

Jack doesn't answer him, but Gabe grins to himself. The tips of ears go pink, just a bit, and it's barely visible in the dark of their room.

"Good night, Jack," he says, still grinning as he turns his back to him.

"Good night, asshole."

 

~*~

 

Gabe wakes up face to face with him. He groans and glances over his shoulder, rubbing at his eyes. The clock reads ten o'clock— late time for them to be up compared to normal military waking hours. He turns back to Jack, his eyes still bleary. He rubs the sleep from them finally, yawning and stretching. He cringes when his shins brush up against Jack's cold feet. The action startles the blond awake. Jack groans and stretches, pointedly rubbing his cold feet over his legs again.

"Miss me with that." Gabe huffs, knees him in the thigh under the sheets. "Wear socks."

"You got used to it in the field."

"I'm on _vacation_."

" _We're_ on vacation," Jack corrects.

They both freeze up a little, staring at each other before Gabe clears his throat and Jack looks away. He rolls over and hops off the bed, stretching, groaning when his back cracks. He rolls his neck and glances over his shoulder to find, as he suspected, Jack staring at him. Instead of looking away like last time, Jack's gaze flickers up to meet his before he yawns. He turns and buries his face back in the pillow, limbs lazily stretching out beneath the sheets.

"You woke me up," he says in explanation, muffled into the pillow. "I'm going back to sleep."

"Come on, you wanna sleep your vacation away? We're hitting the beaches today." Gabe smacks the bed a few times and Jack swats at thin air. "Your loss then."

The blond rolls over in bed, turning his back to him. Gabe rolls his eyes and heads to the bathroom for his morning routine. Sure enough, Jack joins him later, sleep ruffled with messy hair.

"Your roots are showing."

Jack reaches up to touch his head instinctively before he catches himself. He clears his throat, looking away, "My hair isn't dyed."

"You're not a real blond, Morrison," Gabe grins around his toothbrush. "You might as well tell me you have to shave every day, baby cheeks."

Jack elbows him, but it's half-hearted, and he's smiling.

 

~*~

 

Gabe pointedly doesn't say anything about Jack's Hawaiian flower-themed Dad™ shirt, but he has a good snicker about it internally. They show up to a busy but not crowded beach with golden sands and turquoise-blue waters. The sun is bright and just the right amount of hot. Gabe grabs a popsicle stick right off the bat though. They didn't bring umbrellas and he's not looking to cough up money on beach umbrella and chair rentals to stay cool. Jack's gaze lingers on him.

"If you wanted one, you should've got one yourself," Gabe says lazily, and bites sharply into the popsicle as he maintains eye contact.

Jack swallows, Adam's apple bobbing before he slides his sunglasses down from atop his head. "It's not that hot yet."

The beach isn't terribly populated, and they find a place to settle down. Gabe didn't pack an umbrella, but he did have enough memory to remember to bring beach towels. He grunts when the popsicle melts in his mouth and leaks down his chin. Jack's staring again as Gabe wipes the sticky mess off his jaw with his fingers and licks them clean.

"You're starin' like you want something," Gabe tries, quirking an eyebrow, and his heart quickens a little when Jack licks his lips before looking away.

He drops the topic as Jack spreads the towels out. Gabe props a hand on his hips as he looks out into the horizon. It really is nice. There's a light breeze coming in, bringing with it the faint scent of salt. Gabe inhales, deep, and relaxes. The sun feels warm on his skin, and the popsicle is cool on his tongue. He'll have to thank his mother again when they swing home. His jaw clenches. This vacation is good for them both, especially after the past few months of missions.

"Don't move."

Gabe blinks out of his reverie, glancing behind him. Jack has a bottle of sunscreen in his hands and is peering up at him from his seat on the towel.

"Stand still so I can put sunscreen on."

Gabe scoffs, incredulous, "There's no proof you aren't actually a vampire, Jack. Looks like I'll have to report you when we get back."

"You didn't wanna spend money on umbrella rentals," Jack grouses. He squirts the sunscreen onto his hands and slips his shirt off his shoulders, fingers rubbing along his neck. Gabe bites the inside of his cheek as Jack's fingers work over a scar on the curve of his neck and shoulder. He sucks around the popsicle again.

"Still a vampire."

"Yes, you caught me, Mr. Reyes," Jack says flatly, and Gabe can practically _hear_ his eyes rolling behind his sunglasses, "I want to suck your blood."

"I'm not into being bitten  _that_ hard."

Jack makes a noise, somewhere between a nervous chuckle and an amused snort. He smoothes the lotion over his chest, and Gabe’s eyes flicker upward to look at his hair instead. His blond hair is tousled, styled with hair gel that Gabe had said would be pointless today if he planned on swimming.

“I don’t exactly tan either,” Jack had pointed out, and Gabe shrugged. Fair is fair.

“I’m gonna take a dip,” he says after a moment as he finishes his popsicle stick. He strips off his tanktop and flings it at Jack with a grin. The blond catches it before it hits his face. “Try not to burn while I’m gone.”

“Try not to be heartbroken when you find my ashes,” Jack says in reply, and it catches Gabe off guard.

He glances back at the blond who’s looking after him with a vaguely smug look on his face. He decides not to answer and instead makes his way out to the ocean. He wades through the water, cool against his skin until he’s waist deep.

Gabe dips underwater, and revels in how everything becomes quieter immediately, muted by the sound of water in his ears. He swims downward, languid as he takes in the sight of seaweed and sea life tangled up in the sand. He sees two people two close to be friendly, legs tangled up in each other and hands wandering, and looks away as he swims up to the surface. Gabe rolls his eyes to himself, keeping his back to the couple. He catches his breath before diving back under again, letting the water rush along the slant of his back as he swims. It's a good feeling. Swimming used to be his high school sport, and the relaxing feeling it brings back in him is nice. Gabe runs a hand through his hair, absently paddling in place as he looks out into the distance.

It's a nice moment, ruined by someone splashing at the back of his head. He whirls around, a half-annoyed look on his face already when he sees that it's Jack, bright-eyed and grinning.

"Hey champ." Gabe swims over to him, amused, "Thought you weren't gonna dip."

"Too hot," Jack responds before ducking underwater.

He follows suit, delving after the blond. Jack's limber and fast, surprisingly gives Gabe a run for his money as he chases after him. Jack resurfaces laughing, his hair a damp mess and his cheeks ruddy from exertion. Gabe thinks he'd like to kiss him, maybe, and blinks in surprise when Jack suddenly swoops close.

He stop-starts, breathless, and his hands are on Gabe's arms. It's like he's catching himself in the middle of a reverie. They stare at each other, chests still heaving from exhaustion, and Jack looks away and laughs. Gabe wonders what it means, if kissing him is what Jack wants too.

 

~*~

 

Gabe buys some ice cream and soda, both orange-flavored. After all, he feels kind of bad for Jack, who's dying, even with sunscreen on. The sand is pleasantly warm under his feet as he makes the trek back, another popsicle bobbing in his mouth as he walks. He finds Jack, surprisingly, asleep on the beach towel. He supposes it's been a long day; they've spent most of the day here. The sun will set soon, and the temperature is starting to cool. There's already people starting campfires nearby, and kids are running around yelling excitedly about s'mores.

Gabe presses the cold soda can to Jack's neck, and the blond startles awake, jerking from the sensation. He glares at Gabe, hand flying up to his now damp neck.

"Hate to interrupt your beauty rest," Gabe says, and it comes out sounding more fond than he intended, "But I didn't want the ice cream to melt."

Jack stares as Gabe holds out the ice cream cone and soda can like a peace offering, eyebrow quirked. The blond snatches them from him, grinning a little before he looks sheepish.

"I'll pay you back when we get back to the hotel."

"It's on me."

"Reyes."

"It's fine," Gabe insists, raising an eyebrow at him. "Not a huge deal. Feel bad I didn't get you an umbrella. Going to be sporting some sunburns for the rest of our trip—"

"Gabriel," Jack says, and Gabe stops.

The blond looks away. The ice cream is melting in his hand, dripping down the cone and over his fingers. Jack barely seems to notice.

"You're already taking me on vacation for free," he says after a moment. "Least I can do is pay for my own expenses."

"It's not as though I'm paying for your plane ticket and hotel room," Gabe points out, "Everything was a gift from my mom."

"You still picked me," Jack says after a long pause, "out of everyone to go with."

Gabe breathes sharply through his nose and meets Jack's gaze, his bright blue eyes, a little warm and fiercely determined.

"You owe me about ten bucks then," Gabe says finally, and Jack looks pleased.

"Okay. I'll pay you back when we get back to the room."

Jack finally starts eating his melting ice cream and they chat idly about plans for the next few days. Gabe insists they go to Orlando; they'll have to split the price on the car rental, but Disney World will be worth it. Jack finishes the last of his ice cream cone just as a woman approaches.

"Hey boys," the woman, a redhead calls out, looking smug.

She has a volleyball tucked under her arm, hair tied up in a high ponytail. She's muscular with thick arms and strong thighs, a tattoo on the curve of her calves. She hums, cocking her head at them.

"Bored, and you two look like you'll actually be fun to play against."

"You the one the guys around here have been whining about?" Gabe asks, grinning to himself.

He recognizes her now. He's been up and down the beach several times, and seen the redhead playing beach volleyball all day. Last he checked, she and her partner had beaten an entire motley of college boys.

Jack looks at him, smiling, and Gabe grins back. They've never been one to back down from a challenge.

 

~*~

 

Actually, they get (kinda) destroyed by the redhead and her girlfriend, but they go for rematches anyway. Gabe has to work on his jump serve, but Jack's blocking is pretty subpar too. They have fun though, and the redhead insists they play one more. She seems tireless, bright-eyed and full of energy, despite the fact that she's drenched in sweat.

Her girlfriend, a shorter but equally muscular Latina brunette, is quieter and a bit more down to earth in comparison. They seem like an odd match, but she seems to be able to pace the redhead and make her slow down. The redhead huffs and puffs about it, but eventually they all take a break after their fifth game in a row.

They settle down around a campfire for a bit before the redhead drags Jack off to go buy things for s'mores. The brunette hums to herself as she flicks a twig near the fire.

“You’re not from around here?” she asks, in Spanish, eyes curious.

“No, from Los Angeles,” he answers back in Spanish. “We’re on leave together. ‘Blondie’,” he says, with air quotes, “is from Indiana.”

She tilts her head at him, smiling. “Your boyfriend?”

“No, do I look like I like white bread?”

She laughs and they keep chatting in Spanish with the occasional English word woven in. They talk about her girlfriend, the fair-skinned redhead was her college sweetheart and they haven’t really left each other since. They’re in grad school together and looking to play for a small competitive volleyball team. He tells her a little about him and Jack, and their time in the military. Soon enough, the redhead and Jack come back, waving as they approach. The brunette smiles, secretive, and leans in close to murmur to Gabe she actually thinks Jack’s pretty good-looking and she thinks he thinks so too. He shoves at her shoulder a little, teasing, and says maybe, but she’ll never know for sure.

The storytelling continues as they all get settled around the campfire with s’mores now too. Afterwards, they go for another few games against the girls before he and Jack decide they’re exhausted for the night. The sun has already set and it’s starting to get cool. They say their goodbyes, and head back to the hotel.

Jack hums a little as he kicks his sandals off and picks them up, walking barefoot across the cool sand. He seems pleased for some reason, and it makes Gabe smile a little in curious amusement.

“What? You look like the cat that caught the canary.”

Jack turns to him, and he has a shit-eating grin spreading on his face. "I know about three Spanish words, but I heard you agree with her when she said ‘guapo’."

Gabe feels a rush of warmth to his cheeks. He scoffs, “She wasn’t talking about you.”

“Sure.” Jack is incredibly smug, and maybe a little happy. He smiles, and it’s warm, warmer than Gabe’s used to seeing. “And you’re a liar, Reyes.”

He opens his mouth, but as Jack paces ahead, still grinning, he decides he’ll let the blond have the last word for now.

 

~*~

 

They’re a little sore the next day after volleyball, but it’s nothing too unbearable and Gabe rolls his eyes at Jack’s complaints. He makes phone calls to arrange for a car rental and they plan their schedule for tomorrow’s drive to Orlando. They decide to take today easy meanwhile and rest up for tomorrow’s drive and no doubt, busy day at Disney World.

Jack excuses himself to go shower and Gabe makes himself at home on the bed. He thumbs through his phone to look at attractions Jack might like. They won’t have a lot of time to spend in line at Disney World, so he wants to make sure they hit the ones Jack will probably enjoy.

Jack’s cell phone goes off at the corner of the bed, and Gabe rolls his eyes as some Beatles’ song starts playing as his ringtone. He flicks his phone off and hops off the bed, pacing over to the bathroom door after grabbing Jack’s phone.

“Your phone’s ringing,” Gabe calls out, knocking two knuckles at the door.

“Uhhh, it’s probably my sister.” The shower gets switched off for a second as Jack shouts to answer him. “Could you answer it for me? Tell her I’ll be just a second.”

Gabe answers, holding the phone up to his ear without glancing at caller ID. “Hello?”

A deep male voice answers him, “Who is this?” the voice asks crossly. “Where is Jack?”

“I’m his friend,” Gabe says after a moment, keeping his tone even. He can guess who this is, and he’s not too happy about it.

“Ah. His _partner_ ,” the man says snidely, “Reyes, was it? If you don’t mind, I’d like to talk to my son.”

“He’s busy.”

“I would say I can’t imagine he’s too busy to speak with his own father,” he says, voice rising in irritation, “but he didn’t tell his own family he was on leave. He should be home right now. Tell him I’d like to talk to him.”

“With all due respect, sir,” Gabe replies, trying to keep his tone polite and his voice cool, “Jack doesn’t owe you anything. I think you’d do better to consider _why_ he didn’t tell you he was on leave and why he didn’t come home. Have a nice day.”

He hangs up before Jack’s dad can even respond, tossing the phone back on the bed, scoffing. The blond pops out of the shower soon after, frowning in concern at Gabe.

“What’s wrong?” he asks after a moment.

“Your dad called.”

Jack stills and looks away, letting out a long sigh as he keeps toweling his hair. “Guess he tried calling the base and they told him I was out.”

“You gonna call him back?”

“No.” Jack snorts, “And I doubt he’ll be calling back after talking to you.”

“Sorry,” Gabe says, stilted, stop-start. He clenches his hands into fists on his thighs, looking away. “I overstepped.”

“I never said that,” the blond replies, quiet. “Thanks.”

Gabe looks up at him, and Jack’s smiling a little with warm eyes, and he finds himself smiling back.

“No problem.”

 

~*~

 

They make the drive to Orlando in a cheap rental car. The air conditioning doesn't work all that well, shuttering off every now and then, but for the price they paid, Gabe is content with it. He drums his fingers on the steering wheel as they cruise down the highway. Jack seems restless in the passenger seat.

"Got ants in your pants?" Gabe asks, amused.

"What?"

"You're squirming around in your seat."

"I wouldn't be surprised if this car _did_ have bugs in it," Jack huffs. He flops back against the seat. "I'm just— I don't know. Got a lot of energy."

"I'm just surprised considering I had to drag you out of bed this morning."

Neither of them really have a lot of money in the bank. Being in the army doesn't really pay all that well, at least not until they rank up more. With their pooled resources, they decided that if they woke up extra early and made the drive to Orlando, they could enjoy themselves for the day, and then make the drive back to Miami in the evening. They don't want to have to pay for another hotel room in Orlando, and if worse comes to worse and they hit traffic, they’ll make do.

"I think you're excited," Gabe says, grinning to himself, "about going to Disney World."

"You're the one who insisted we go," Jack points out, defensive.

"I'm not teasing you," he replies, sparing a moment to look at Jack seriously, "Like I said: you've never been so we're gonna go."

The blond doesn't answer right away, turning to look out the passenger seat window. "I know I haven't been a lot of places because of my parents, but I still don't want your pity." He turns back, brow furrowed, eyes bright and fierce.

Gabe's grip tightens on the steering wheel. "You really think that's what this is about?" He feels his forehead pinch and his jaw clench. "Morrison, if you have any idea what being partners meant, you'd have thought twice before saying that shit to me."

Jack stops, makes a frustrated noise in his throat. "I know I'm not the best partner—"

"I'm saying we're partners because we're best friends, idiot." Gabe snorts, still feels heated under his skin at the accusation, "Because being friends means doing nice shit for each other."

"Sorry," Jack says after a few moments.

Gabe forcibly loosens his grip on the wheel, flexing his fingers. "S'fine," he mutters.

He hadn't considered that Jack would think he had ulterior motives taking him on this trip. He wanted to go somewhere with someone and have fun. It's his vacation too, and taking his fucking best friend with him shouldn't be something he has to be questioned about.

"I'm sorry," Jack says again, voice stiff but genuine. "I'm used to people pitying my farmboy ass."

That makes Gabe still and he looks over at Jack, who seems upset and uncomfortable. "Do I do that?"

"No." Jack fists a hand in his own shirt. "Don't know why I'm being an ass. You're the only one who's never poked fun at me for it."

Jack's certainly... sheltered, especially compared to other military recruits. He's got a mean streak, and he's impulsive, selfish, and sometimes he hates owning up to mistakes. But Gabe's never considered Jack to be lesser than him, and certainly never a problem. Jack came with warning signs the military tacked onto him with when they became partners; Gabe's never understood why. Maybe it's just that they _click_ , and that they're good for each other. It doesn't mean he never fights with Jack, but they're partners, and that has to mean _something_.

"I didn't mean to snap at you," Jack says, honest and quiet. "I guess I'm just jealous."

"Why?"

Jack makes a muffled noise into his hand, turning back to the window. "Cuz you're a model soldier."

“I didn’t realize it bothered you so much,” Gabe says, and it’s honest, with his words coming out in a surprised rush. “It’s just that I have a year or two more experience than you.”

“That’s not it,” he replies, eyebrows knitting together, and he’s still not looking at him. “I just want to be better, I guess. That’ll come with time.”

“I’ve never thought I was better than—”

“I know,” Jack cuts him off. “I’m being an ass for no reason.”

Gabe reaches over and flicks his ear.

His hand flies over his ear reflexively and he makes a face, but the tension starts to dissipate from his body. The blond slumps in the seat, seemingly all talked out, relieved and tired. Gabe reaches over and switches on the radio, leaving it at a low volume. He catches some oldies channel that’s playing Frank Sinatra and _Somethin’ Stupid_ fills the silence in the car.

 

~*~

 

Disney World is worth it, right from the beginning when Jack sees Magic Kingdom Park come into view. Gabe hides his smile behind a cough as they line up to get their entry tickets. Parking didn’t cost as much as he expected, and it covers them for the whole day. Hopefully they’ll be able to make it onto all the rides by the end of the day. They’re in line right now and should probably be into the park by noon, and they agreed to leave for the road back to Miami by seven at the latest so they can get back to their hotel by eleven to midnight.

They get their tickets soon enough and get into the main area. Jack’s bright-eyed, and Gabe smiles to himself as the blond drags him after him. Their first destination is Space Mountain, and with the full knowledge that wait times are not going to be nice or accommodating, they’re going to try and hit Splash and Thunder Mountain hopefully before seven when they leave.

“You’re frowning.”

Gabe looks over at Jack, blinking before huffing out a laugh. “You’re giving me wrinkles trying to figure out how to hit everything on the itinerary before we have to leave.”

Jack’s face falls for a second before he punches Gabe in the back. “You’re stuck with me now.”

“What an awful fate,” Gabe says, but it falls on deaf ears as the blond wanders ahead.

Jack is enamored by the sights, the food, and the people. Gabe tucks his hands in his pockets as he follows after him, smiling to himself. It's going to be a good day, he decides. A crowd of people following a loud and enthusiastic tour guide start parading towards them, and Jack grabs his arm. His blue eyes snap to meet Gabe's for a second, meaningful, before the blond grins.

"Slowpoke. Or are you trying to lose me in the crowd?”

Gabe makes a show of rolling his eyes and standing still. Jack huffs at him, yanks at his arm once, and his fingers are cold, even through his sleeve. Jack always did have poor circulation. He picks up the pace and doesn’t say anything when it takes a second longer than it should for the blond’s hand to drop from his arm.

There are a lot of sights to take in, colors, people, characters, kids. It's overwhelming, even for Gabe, who's at least been to Disneyland before. Jack seems lost, both literally and figuratively. He continues wandering ahead of Gabe and keeps backstepping like he can't decide where he wants to go first.

_"I never went anywhere as a kid," Jack told him last night offhandedly. "Was always busy at the farm. Never had the chance to go to an amusement park."_

(Gabe wants few things, but he wants to get this Disney World visit right for Jack.)

"Space Mountain, right?" he says when he catches up.

Jack jolts, blinks a little like it was startled out of him. "Yeah." He rubs a hand at the back of his neck. "There's just a lot here."

"Yeah. There is."

Gabe grips his shoulder, giving him a squeeze and a shake. He opens his mouth to say something but Jack meets his gaze evenly, an odd look in his eyes, and Gabe forgets what to say.

"Let's go," Jack says finally, smiling. "Got the other two mountain rides to get to after this."

 

~*~

 

Jack almost shits himself on Space Mountain. It's fantastic.

 

~*~

 

Jack throws up a whole lot of overpriced amusement park food. That part is not as fantastic.

 

~*~

 

Gabe comes back with an ice cold bottle of water in his hand, and sits down next to Jack on the bench. The blond is still sitting bent over with his head between his own knees as he breathes. He presses the water bottle to the side of Jack’s temple, and the blond jerks, sitting up abruptly.

"You alright?"

"I'm not going comatose anymore if that's what you're asking," Jack huffs, taking the water bottle from his hands. He sighs, eyes closing as he keeps pressing the bottle against his cheek and then his forehead.

"Big baby," Gabe says, rolling his eyes.

“I nearly died, have some sympathy.”

“Like I said, big baby,” Gabe snorts, but he stops breathing when Jack suddenly leans his head on his shoulder, pressing his weight against his arm. “Jack?”

“Thanks,” he says, muffled into the cotton of Gabe’s sweatshirt.

He shifts, feels hyper-aware of Jack’s body moving with every breath he takes, the warmth of his face and breath against his shoulder. Gabe presses his hand to Jack’s back, smoothes his fingers down the ridge of his spine to the small of his back. Jack shivers against him, makes a noise in the back of his throat, and Gabe fists his hand in his shirt.

“Don’t barf on me, Morrison.”

Jack nuzzles his shoulder. “Not like you’d stop liking me if I did barf on you.”

Gabe’s breath hitches, “I don’t know about that one— this is a nice hoodie.”

Jack swings the water bottle between his knees, his index finger and middle finger hooked under the bottom of the cap notch. His thigh bumps against Gabe’s.

“You need to drink more water, Morrison,” he says, a breath still stuck in his throat. He uncurls his hand, pressing the pads of his fingers again to the small of his back. “You’re thirsty.”

Jack snorts a laugh, “You should talk.”

He sits up though, pulling away from his shoulder. He uncaps the water bottle and starts chugging it and Gabe wonders if Jack’s good at kissing, if he’d be clumsy or smooth.

 

~*~

 

Jack goes for the front seats again. Gabe hadn’t mind sitting in the front seats for Space and Thunder Mountain but he’d rather sit anywhere but the front for Splash Mountain.

“Why?” Jack asked, frowning, even as he got into the tiny log seat.

Gabe sighs, and sits down next to him. It’s too late to move now anyway. There’s a whole group of teens behind him, clamoring to get into the few rows behind them.

“Now I’m not telling you,” he says, and Jack’s brow furrows more before he shrugs and drops the topic.

The ride starts up and as soon as they hit the first curve, water splashes over them. Gabe glances over Jack despite his grimace to find him actually wide-eyed in both surprise and glee. Jack grins, hair already wild and damp, stuck and curled against his forehead as they get progressively more and more wet through the ride. They’re pretty soaked by the end of the ten minute ride, but Jack looks anything but displeased. He hops out of the ride, bright-eyed even as he starts wrenching water from his shirt.

“Glad you didn’t tell me,” Jack says, grinning, “that we’d get wet.”

“I thought you’d hate it,” Gabe admits, and grimaces as he pulls his wet beanie from his head. He can feel his hair fluff up from underneath and glares at Jack who stares. “There’s a reason I keep my beanie on all the time.”

“It’s cute,” Jack mutters, rubbing a hand over his nose.

Gabe stares as the blond looks away before he runs a hand through his hair. It’s damp and straightening out slightly as a result, the ends just barely curling along his ears and temple. Jack’s hair is an utter mess, stuck to his forehead and to the back of his neck.

“Washed out all the hair gel, huh?”

Jack makes a face at him, before turning to look down, twisting his hands in his shirt to wrench out some more water. The action pulls his white t-shirt flush against his chest— Gabe looks away.

“I guess in retrospect it was a bad idea,” Jack mumbles. He pats at his water-logged jeans and huffs.

“It _was_ our last ride for the day though. Things could be worse.”

The blond reaches behind his head for the collar of his shirt and Gabe snuffles.

“There are _kids_ around.”

“Oh.”

Jack’s shirt is already hitched up to his bellybutton, the hem curving against the flat of his hips. He lets go of the shirt quickly, tugging it back down. The shirt strains back over his chest and Gabe inhales again, looking away.

“We should just head back. It’s still warm, we’ll dry out soon enough.”

Gabe sticks his beanie into his hoodie’s pocket, and tugs his hood up to cover his head. His skin is damp beneath his clothes, uncomfortable, but not unbearably unpleasant. Jack follows after, and Gabe wishes the blond wasn’t wearing a white shirt and skinny jeans for this.

“It’s not that late yet, huh?”

“Yeah.” Gabe looks up at the sky, starting to color over orange cream and gold streaks. “Six or something.”

“Got everything on the itinerary,” Jack says, but he sounds a little mournful.

Gabe glances over to see Jack’s gaze lingering on other attractions they haven’t been to yet as they pass by. He rubs his hand at the back of his neck.

“We could stay for a few more hours. We’d get the car wet right now anyway. We did pay for both parking and hundred dollar passes for the day, so we might as well get our money’s worth.”

Jack looks at him, wide-eyed, hopeful, before he frowns. “We’d have to drive back during the middle of the night though.”

“I mean,” Gabe stumbles over his words, “seems like a waste to miss the fireworks. We could get a cheap hotel on the outskirts of the city for the night and finish the drive tomorrow.”

Jack looks inclined to protest out of guilt, and Gabe steps towards him, sudden. They both startle from the action, before Gabe shifts his weight, forcing himself to look at the other man evenly.

“I was the one who suggested the trip, Morrison.”

Jack swallows, rubs a hand at his shoulder. “I’ll pay you back later— not… monetarily,” he adds quickly, knowing that Gabe would protest that. “Dinner sometime. Maybe back in Miami.”

“You know this is,” Gabe curls his hands into fists in his hoodie’s pocket, frowning, “this is fair for both of us. We both paid to be here. You don’t owe me.”

“I know,” Jack says, quiet, and there’s something warm in the way he looks at Gabe that makes him stop, “I want to.”

(Gabe wants few things, maybe just this.)

 

~*~

 

They decide to go for the Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean. Both are busy, and Gabe’s pleasantly surprised they manage to squeeze both into their schedule. Jack stays as bright eyed as ever through the rest of the evening, a bottle of overpriced orange soda in his hand as he paces through the park. He goes to buy an ice cream cone after they get out of the Pirates of the Caribbean. Jack comes back with a soda for him too, and Gabe doesn’t say anything when he takes it from him, their fingers brushing as he does. He seems— warm, happy, and when he walks next to Gabe, their shoulders bump into each other.

“Fireworks are soon,” Gabe says, checking his watch.

Jack turns his gaze from the crowds passing by and the rides to look at him. He smiles, and Gabe finds himself smiling back. They make the walk back to Cinderella’s Castle in the middle of the park where the fireworks will take place in front of the gates. There are crowds of people, small toddlers sitting on the shoulders of their parents. Jack stays close to him, a consistent rhythm to every time his shoulder bumps against Gabe’s.

They find a place with a decent view of the sky and stand silently next to each other. Jack finishes his ice cream cone just as the first fireworks start popping in the sky. There are a motley of lights and images not only in the dark night sky but also around them with kids waving around glowsticks while screaming. Gabe cracks the tab on his soda can as he looks over at Jack. The blond is looking back, and they both startle at being caught staring at each other.

They keep staring and Jack chews on his lower lip, eyes wide. His gaze flickers down to Gabe's mouth, and he licks his lips nervously before quickly looking away.

Gabe doesn't know what to say, so he turns away too and occupies his mouth with his drink.

"You said you're only into cute guys," Jack says suddenly.

Gabe turns to him wearily. His heart is still pounding, and his cheeks are starting to feel warm. "Yeah, and you're not cute."

"And you're a liar," Jack breathes, and he leans over and presses his mouth to Gabe's.

Gabe stops breathing. Jack kisses clumsily, like a teenager would, and he tastes like vanilla ice cream and orange soda.

(There’s the pop of fireworks in the background, and Gabe thinks he wants few things, and maybe just this.)

The blond pulls away, and he's wide-eyed, looking as startled as Gabe feels. The lights and glowsticks and fireworks dance shadows over the slant of his face and Gabe thinks he’s in love with someone not quite real. He grabs the front of Jack's shirt, impulsive, and tugs him closer to kiss him again. He jerks, opens his mouth, and Gabe kisses him hard enough to leave Jack breathless when he pulls away.

"Why did you ask me to come with you?" Jack asks, voice quiet, breathing hard, and he's close enough that Gabe can feel his breath warm against his face.

"Why did you say _yes_?" Gabe retorts.

"I don’t _know_.”

Jack kisses him again, impulsive, a quick press of lips but Gabe tugs him back. He kisses him again, firmer, slowing Jack down as he keeps his hand fisted in his shirt and his other hand still clamped around his drink. Gabe pulls away finally, and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. He notices a kid staring at them curiously and reaches down to close his hand around Jack’s wrist.

And Jack follows.

They end up sneaking off to a quieter corner of the park. There’s less people milling around, worn out teenagers, sleepy children in the arms of their exhausted parents. There’s an air of contentedness around them and the air is warm and the sound of fireworks is still in the sky. They sit down at a small park bench, quiet, and Gabe’s hand is still wrapped around his wrist. He slides it down into his hand, and Jack looks away when he slips his fingers between Gabe’s.

He squeezes Jack’s hand, "How long?"

Jack opens his mouth before he closes it, looking away. There's a flush rising on his pale skin, curling up his cheeks, barely visible in the dim lights. "Little after Colorado," he says quietly.

Gabe remembers the Colorado mission when Jack says it, like a saturated snapshot. Their feet sank into the sand and every step felt like moving a mountain after a while. Too hot— they were the two-man strike team ordered to cross the arid desert for a stealth mission. The sun was a cruel mistress, with shining rays, blinding them and beating down on their backs until they were damp with sweat. Jack drank bad water, vomited his innards out, nearly unconscious and delirious from dehydration. Gabe hauled him all the way back, sat by his bedside while they plugged him with IVs until he could talk coherently.

"I did what any partner would do," Gabe says.

"Yeah, but you were different from the others."

Jack had been a bit of a problem child in the ranks, unable to trust his previous partners enough to perform well on missions with them. When Gabe’s superiors briefed him on the partner swap, they said Jack needed someone who was patient and nurturing, firm but not unreasonable. Gabe seemed the best fit.

"You never said anything," Jack continues, quieter, "About me being difficult."

Jack didn't have an easy childhood with a family that expected one hundred and ten percent and absolute obedience. And Jack was never equipped for that— no one is. Going to the army— that’s not easy. You have to trust your partner like he's gonna be there for you no matter what, and you have to listen to each other and it's not easy for someone like Jack to fall into order so easily.

"I don't know what to say," Gabe says honestly, "Your first partners should've been better."

“I just want to say thanks,” Jack says, and he’s honest, and a bit raw, like nothing Gabe’s ever seen before from a man as carefully guarded as Jack Morrison.

“It’s no problem,” he replies, and Jack seems relieved, like he’s finally gotten something important off his chest.

He squeezes his hand again, and Gabe squeezes back.

(Gabe wants few things, and this is enough.)

 

~*~

 

They’re quiet as they make the walk back to the car. The ride out to the fringes of the city is equally quiet, with the both of them exhausted, emotionally and physically. It’s the good kind of exhaustion though. Disney World was good— for them both. Jack’s asleep in the passenger seat. It’s late now, nearing midnight and it will probably be around one AM by the time they get into a hotel and settle down.

Jack’s half-asleep when he coaxes him out of the car, quiet words that Jack answers in equally quiet mumbles. The blond’s never been good with jetlag and disorienting sleep schedules.

The clerk looks as sleepy as they do, a blonde teen girl who smiles sweetly and waves after she hands them their keys. They key into their room, and stumble into the single bed together. Jack kicks off his jeans blearily and tugs his shirt off. He slips his hands underneath Gabe’s beanie, pushing it off his head. Gabe huffs out a laugh as he climbs into bed after him. He shrugs his own hoodie off and curls under the sheets with the blond. It feels— good. Jack’s skin is warm against his, and he’s sleeping closer to Gabe than he’s used to.

“Good morning,” Jack says, snorting a little to himself.

“Cheeky,” Gabe mutters back.

The blond doesn’t answer, breathing evening out as he drifts back to sleep and Gabe smiles as he closes his own eyes.

 

~*~

 

And things are different in the car on the way back. Jack’s actually awake, and it’s just the two of them, the road, and the quiet oldies radio keeping them company.

Jack keeps his gaze out the window. “How long?” he echoes.

He flexes his fingers on the wheel, “Since Maine.”

Maine was a mission in the wilderness, orange-gold leaves, the smell of pine cones and wet earth, and cold autumn air against their skin. Their target were two convicts who had escaped into the woods and had been living there for years until a report of suspicious activity. It took a week to track them down in the vast wilderness, among trees and trees and trees. He and Jack slept among deer, bobcats, and minks in the forest that was their home, and it felt a little like something new for them both. They fumbled through the woods, with no line of connection to their commander, the sound of animals and leaves crunching underfoot keeping them company.

(And when Jack aimed his gun and said ‘do you trust me?’, it felt like Gabe finally realized they had been breathing in tandem the whole time and it just now hit him they had been coexisting for months now.)

Jack makes a noise in the back of his throat and turns to look at him. “That long?” he asks, and he sounds guilty.

“Not that much longer than you’ve been holding a torch for me.” Gabe glances at him from the corner of his eye, and Jack makes a frustrated sound.

“I guess that makes us both idiots.”

“I didn’t know how you felt,” Gabe admits, quieter, “I wasn’t sure.”

“I thought—” Jack laughs into his hand, the sound sharp and loud in the car, a mix of amusement and exasperation. “I thought you were always just teasing for the longest time and that I’d… eventually stop wanting you.”

Gabe’s breath hitches. That’s new. Hearing Jack admit that he “wanted him” makes his stomach clench with butterflies. He guesses they’ve both been stupid, Jack’s been holding a torch that he’s been waving around, hoping it’d go out.

He blurts out the question before he can think it through, “How did you want me?”

“Don’t—”

“I’m not asking to embarrass you,” Gabe hastily corrects, gaze flickering over to Jack quickly.

The blond is starting to flush, a pale pink curling up along his cheeks, and Gabe turns his eyes back onto the road before he’s tempted to lean over to kiss him.

“I want you to trust me,” Jack says, serious, and his voice is firm, cutting through the quiet interior of their car.

“I always have.”

“I know,” he replies, huffing out an unamused laugh. He looks upset, frustrated at himself as he glowers out the window, “That’s the worst part, I think. I think I hated that you trusted me so easily. I’m not that good of a person.”

“I think you don’t give yourself enough credit,” Gabe answers after a moment, scratching at the back of his neck. “You’re just kind of bitchy sometimes.”

That comment seems to diffuse the tension somewhat and Jack huffs, quieter, some of the anger fading from the tension in his shoulders.

“I want a lot of things,” Jack says suddenly, leaning his chin into the palm of his hand as he keeps staring out the window. He keeps talking, stop-start, a little nervous excitement in his voice, “Kissing you is okay, I guess. Your body runs warm at night. You don’t snore.” He turns to look at Gabe, smirking, “Your hands get really clammy though.”

“Smartass.”

Gabe reaches over and grabs Jack’s free hand off of his thigh. The blond squeezes his hand back and quirks an eyebrow in interest as Gabe raises their hands up to his mouth. He flicks his gaze off the road for a few seconds to press his mouth to Jack’s knuckles and the way Jack flushes slightly in response makes it all worth it. The other man lets out a breath, incredulous, but doesn’t pull his hand away from Gabe.

He squeezes his hand, tight and resolute, like a decision, and Gabe thinks this can work, definitely.

 

~*~

 

They’re both dead when they get back to Miami. They spend the day recouping from the Orlando trip and by the time late night rolls around, they’re finally back on their feet. Jack has vacation pamphlets again, and he’s talking about the week they have left in Miami before they have to pack to go to LA. There are still a lot of places to go see and they make an itinerary and rough day to day plans.

Jack sits a little closer to him on the bed when he points out various attractions and jots stuff down in a notebook. Gabe feels impulsive, leans over to kiss his temple while he’s talking, his nose brushing up against Jack’s soft blond curls. He smells like the floral soap the hotel gave them and cheap shampoo and a trace of AXE.

Jack grabs his jaw and pulls him down to kiss him properly, and Gabe laughs into his mouth at the way the blond kisses him with a bit of teeth and fierceness and a whole lot of clumsiness.

Gabe smoothes his hand over the curve of Jack’s neck, and his skin is warm under his rough fingers. The lights are already off in the room except for the lamp on the night table, and it sets a pale glow along the slant of Jack’s jaw. It feels weird to kiss him like this, Gabe thinks, because it’s a little like how they’ve been breathing together, but different.

“Getting distracted?” Jack asks, and his voice is coy, and it makes Gabe grin.

He presses his nose into his neck, mouths a kiss over his Adam’s Apple and tucks his smile into Jack’s skin. “Maybe.”

They curl into bed together, fumbling to tug the lamp light off as they keep kissing lazily. Gabe runs his hand through Jack’s hair and the blond hums as he plays with the hem of Gabe’s tanktop.

Jack’s voice is soft, secretive, and warm, "I like a lot of things about you."

Gabe grins, lazy, and tangles their legs together. "Like?"

"The earring," he admits.

"Kinky."

"Not really," Jack mutters, pressing his cold feet to the back of Gabe's legs.

Jack looks back up at him. His eyes are very blue, so Gabe kisses him. He feels like he can hardly breathe in the space between them when Jack pulls away only to kiss him again, at the corner of his mouth before he kisses him properly. The blond twists his fingers in Gabe's tanktop, palm warm against the strip of skin exposed between the hem of the shirt and his boxers.

"Jack," Gabe murmurs, breathless against his jaw.

Jack doesn’t answer, but Gabe can feel the blond's smile against his cheek.

 

~*~

 

He sweeps his hands over Jack's hips and kisses at the back of his neck. His ears are flushed again, and Gabe smiles to himself, eyes sliding closed as he nuzzles at his shoulder. Jack switches the shower head to a higher setting and warm water comes beating down atop their heads, sliding easily down the slant of Gabe's back.

"Should've told you ages ago," he says into the crook of Jack's shoulder.

"Yeah." Jack squeezes his hand over Gabe’s on his hip and sighs, "Me too."

 

~*~

 

Some condoms slip out of Jack's pocket when he reaches to pull out the receipt. He panics for a second before realizing it's too late to save face anyway. His cheeks are flushed and the receipt is crinkled in his hand. Gabe raises an eyebrow at him.

"That's pretty presumptuous," Gabe says, trying not to grin.

Jack looks away, stuffing the receipt back into his pocket. "You kissed me back."

 

~*~

 

They take a lot of pictures together throughout their last week at Miami. Gabe thumbs through his phone to delete the blurry ones as they keep inching forward slowly in line at the airport security line. Jack is by his side, quiet, his hands occupied by a tote bag and a luggage roller. He seems pensive, thoughtful as his eyes rove over other travelers milling around in the airport. Everyone is going somewhere or returning from somewhere. Some families are reuniting, some are saying goodbyes, some are solo travellers with cheerfully exhausted expressions on their faces.

Jack clears his throat. “What’s Los Angeles like?”

Gabe pauses, and clicks his phone off. He shrugs one shoulder as he tucks his phone away. “It’s hot, sunny most of the year and rain is rare. Friendly. Really a cosmopolitan city— lots of different people from all different cultures. The food is great and there’s a lot of variety. Traffic is awful, the beaches are nice.”

Gabe stops when he realizes Jack’s looking at him— fond and amused.

“It really is your hometown.”

Gabe feels himself flush slightly and rubs at his nose. “Yeah.”

The blond rolls his shoulder and lets out a breath. “Do you think your family is going to like me?”

Gabe stops, starts, stops again when Jack looks at him, eyes as clear as glass, fierce. “Yes,” he says, and it feels like the word is punched out of him.

_"Take that whitebread with you," his mother had suggested, tone sly. He had opened his mouth to retort and ask why Jack was the first thing on her mind, but she shut him up with an easy, "You talk about him too much, Gabi," before hanging up the phone._

“Maybe,” he amends, teasing, “Depends on how well you can tolerate spice.”

Jack laughs. “Guess I’m fucked then.”

There’s a pause between them, a comfortable silence. Gabe swallows around the knot in his throat.

“I think you’ll like LA.”

And when Jack responds, he sounds like that day in Maine when he asked Gabe, “do you trust me?”.

“I think I will too.”

 

~*~

 

(Gabe wants small things, and this is most definitely, good enough.)

**Author's Note:**

> there will probably be a sequel fic soon of them at gabe's house!!! thanks for reading!
> 
> EDIT: sorry no longer planning a sequel :( life has been too busy and i've lost interest in finishing it i'm really sorry


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